Bee Pastures

It is so perfect in its simplicity that you have to wonder why more growers haven't been doing this all along. I'm referring to "bee pastures". These pastures consist of a wildflower sanctuary for bees, planted with bee attracting flora near the crop of interest, and created as a pesticide free atmosphere. Bees are valuable, if not "priceless", crop pollinators, hence we should always be on the lookout for ways to encourage and increase their numbers. These bee sanctuaries can consist of annual wildflowers, clovers, and ornamentals that can be easily set up with inexpensive seed, and a simple plowing schedule and slight maintenance. For growers that want a long lasting wild bee population a permanent productive bee pasture of trees, bushes, and woody perennials that can last for more than thirty years would be ideal. While the initial set up for permanent bee pastures is considerably more expensive, in the long run you get what you pay for, a bee pasture that needs little if any weeding, fertilizing, or plowing. Bees which play such a crucial role in pollinating not only our nations but the world's crops are something we can't afford not to invest in.